My Family

Albert Musgrove is my 1st cousin 2x removed. His parents are Joseph Musgrove and Bridget Maria Grainger. Our common ancestors are John Musgrove and Catherine Ainsworth, my 2x great grandparents.

Albert was born on 16 March 1896 in Clitheroe, Lancashire. He was baptised at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Clitheroe on 12 April 1896.

Sometime in the March quarter of 1921 Albert married Ivy Hargreaves.

Albert died at the age of 49 on 25 January 1946. The Clitheroe Advertiser and Times published a brief obituary on 1 February 1946.

MR ALBERT MUSGROVE

After a long illness the death took place last Friday of Mr Albert Musgrove, aged 49, of 6 Pendle Road, Clitheroe. He was a native of the town. For many years he was employed at Dawson’s Bakery, his last place of work being Whiteside’s wine merchants, Clitheroe. He is survived by a widow, two daughters and a son. The interment was at St Mary’s Cemetery on Tuesday.

I have Mary in all the census returns from 1891 to 1911 and in the 1939 Register. I can see from these documents that Mary was employed all her working life as a “cotton weaver”.

Mary passed away on 31 October 1952.

The following two articles were published in the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times on 7 November 1952.

Neighbour’s Find

When Miss Mary Alice Musgrove (65), of 11 Brownlow Street, Clitheroe, did not go to work as usual on Friday morning, neighbours became worried and at lunch time one of them broke into the house and found her lying dead at the foot of the stairs, still in her night attire.

Miss Musgrove lived alone and was employed as a weaver at Sun Street Mill.

A post mortem was held but an inquest was found to be unnecessary.

MISS M A MUSGROVE

The cremation took place at Skipton on Wednesday of Miss Mary Alice Musgrove of 11 Brownlow Street, Clitheroe, who died suddenly, after a short illness, at her home on Friday. In accordance with her wish, her ashes were later scattered on Pendle Hill.

Miss Musgrove, who was 65, was employed for most of her working life at Jubilee Mill. She worked for some time at Foulsykes Mill, and, since it closed 10 years ago, she had been a weaver at Sun Street Mill.

Her two brothers and two sisters will have deep sympathy in their loss.

Sarah Alice was born in the market town of Darwen, near Blackburn in Lancashire. Her birth is registered in the June quarter of 1892.

Sadly Sarah Alice died at the age of 13 and her death is registered in the March quarter of 1906 in Blackburn.

However her short life was not without incident. I found the following article in the Blackburn Standard of 3 September 1898.

FRACTURE OF A CHILD’S LEG AT DARWEN – On Tuesday, whilst a number of children were playing in Duckworth Street, opposite Brookside Hotel, an empty crate, which had been used for conveying a plate glass window, was upset, and a little girl named Sarah Alice Cockshoot, aged six years, of 18 Brook Street, was knocked down and her right leg fractured. PC Shaughnessy carried the child home, where it was attended to by Dr Du Cane.

While home on leave in February 1942 he wrote to the local paper, the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times about Sunday opening of cinema’s. His letter was published on 13 February 1942.

SUNDAY CINEMAS

Sir – I would like to make a suggestion regarding Sunday Cinemas. Being a member of the Forces, I am able to fully appreciate the enjoyment derived by attending a cinema performance, or any other form of entertainment on a Sunday evening. Regarding the letter by “Interested,” in your issue dated January 30th, he stated that if only one percent were saved the necessity of occasional visits to “the local,” the proposal was justified. I am in complete agreement with him on that.

We will now take for an example a young man, a teetotaller, called upon for service with the Forces, being stationed shall we say in the Clitheroe district. Being allowed to go “ashore” (as we say in the Navy), his first thoughts would be to find some form of entertainment, whereby he could occupy his few brief hours away from the hum-drum routine of the Forces. Meeting some of his friends, they would inform him that there were no cinemas open, and the young man would find himself wondering how he would spend his few precious hours. “As you know, there is no pleasure to be derived walking the streets in the black-out, whether it be wet or fine.” Meanwhile, his friends, who perchance like a drink, finally by a great amount of persuasion might induce him to “come and try one”; no doubt, feeling a bit down in the dumps, he might fall in with their suggestion. This can be used as an example of driving a man to drink. As being “ashore” say on the next Sunday, no doubt he would spend his evening by another visit to the “local.” If cinemas or any other places had been open the young man would not have fallen to the temptation.

That is one side to the question. Now we will deal with the public side. There are many men and women working on jobs of national importance. As most of these Government workshops are working on “full time,” a number of people are working whilst the majority of Clitheroe people are asleep. Working on the “night shift” for a week, Sunday may become their rest day before taking over a different shift. Working through the night necessitates the greater part of the day, after which they are back again at work. After six days of night work, it would be a great boon to these people to be able to go to some form of entertainment on a Sunday evening.

The managers of the three cinemas state that in their opinion the present catering for six days of the week, for the present population involved, appears adequate. Maybe they are right, and maybe they are not. Now, if we should say that each cinemas took it in turn to open on a Sunday evening, I am sure that the operators and attendants would have no objection to sacrificing one Sunday night in three, when around them so many great sacrifices are being made.

I am sure that if this suggestion was given a trial it would prove a success. So let us hope some sort of provision will be made. Meanwhile everyone can still pursue their religious activities and find time as for enjoyment.

THOMAS MUSGROVE (Stoker R.N.)

It seems as though the issue of opening cinemas on a Sunday was quite contentious with strong views expressed on both sides of the argument. The Clitheroe Town Council debated a request from Military Authorities to open cinemas on a Sunday as a temporary measure under wartime regulations. At their meeting on Tuesday 16 December 1941 the Town Council approved a motion supporting Sunday opening by 8 votes to 6.

In the same edition of the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times that uncle Tommy had his letter published, there was a brief article saying that “Both Houses of Parliament have now approved the Order permitting the Sunday opening of cinemas in Clitheroe. It now remains for an application on the subject to be made to the local Justices. Presumably such an application would have to be made by the cinema proprietors”.

Although I haven’t been able to find out when cinemas began opening on a Sunday there are certainly adverts in the local paper for Sunday shows in late 1944.

Helen Stowell is my 3rd cousin 2x removed. Her parents are Dent Stowell and Helen Gordon. Our common ancestors are John Stowell and Ann Riddeoff, my 4x great grandparents.

Helen was born on 21 July 1921 in Wayne, Michigan, USA. She came to England with her family in 1933.

Before joining the W.R.E.N.’s in 1940 Helen worked at Marks and Spencer’s branch in Wolverhampton.

While serving in the W.R.EN.’s in Scotland Helen met and married John Park. A report of their marriage is in the Burnley Express of 29 November 1941.

Naval Wedding

A guard-of-honour of Wrens and naval ratings was formed at Bon Accord Church of Scotland, Aberdeen, for the wedding of Mr John Park (R.N.), son of Mr and Mrs Park, 78 East Crescent, Troon, Ayrshire, to Miss Helen Stowell (W.R.N.S.), daughter of Mr and Mrs D Stowell, 40 Accrington Road, Burnley.

Given away by her friend, Mr A Bengie, of Aberdeen, the bride was charmingly attired in white stiff lace with satin edgings and a veil with a headdress of orange blossom. She carried a bouquet of pink and white chrysanthemums. The bridesmaid, Miss Adeline Downie, who is also serving with the W.R.N.S., wore a white lace with cyclamen edgings and a shepherdess hat of white net. The mixed flowers of her posy toned with those on her dress and hat.

The groom’s friend, Mr Felix Clark (R.N.), was best man.

After a reception at the bridesmaid’s home Mr and Mrs Park left to spend their honeymoon in Wolverhampton, the bride travelling in uniform.

Joseph Musgrove is my great grand uncle – in other words, brother of my great grandfather. His parents are John Musgrove and Catherine Ainsworth – my 2x great grandparents.

Joseph was born on 13 April 1864 in Darwen, Lancashire.

I have Joseph on all the census returns from 1871 to 1911 and in the 1939 Register. For most of these years his occupation was given as “labourer”. So I am guessing that he had a very hard working life.

On 16 May 1891Joseph married Bridget Maria Grainger at St. James Church, Clitheroe, Lancashire.

James and Bridget had eleven children between 1892 and 1911. The local paper published a story marking their golden wedding anniversary in 1941 – see blog post here.

Joseph passed away on 3 June 1948 and details of his death were published in the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times on 11 June 1948.

MR JOSEPH MUSGROVE

Mr Joseph Musgrove of 66, Wilkin Street, Clitheroe who died yesterday week in his 85th year was one of the town’s best known characters.

He was a native of Darwen, but had spent most of his life in Clitheroe and a for a long number of years was employed in the Highways Department of the Corporation, retiring in 1932. For many years he was one of town’s halberd bearers.

Mr Musgrove was keenly interested in cricket and football and in April travelled to Rochdale to watch Clitheroe Football Club’s last away match of the season.

He was a member of the Royal Castle Lodge Ancient Order of Foresters and members of the order were present at the interment on Tuesday at St Mary’s Cemetery, conducted by the Rev J T Hall.

Mr Musgrove leaves a widow, three sons and three daughters who will have general sympathy in their bereavement.